I came home early from work to find my boyfriend, Jake, having sex with another woman on the couch. She is kneeling over with him fucking her from behind, his hands gripping her hips.

I stand in shock, watching, hearing her moan loudly.

“Yes, Jake. Don’t stop.”

“Jake,” I called but he didn't hear me about her noise until I screamed, tears filling my eyes. “Jake!”

He looked over his shoulder and stopped. The woman turned her head and my heart dropped. He was fucking my best friend.

“Emily," I said in a choked whisper. “Wha.. Why?”

Emily rolled her eyes and whispered something to Jake. To my disbelief, they continued as if I wasn’t here, moaning in pleasure.

When they were finished, they dressed calmly, smiling at each other. I couldn’t believe the two people I loved the most in this world hurt me.

“How could you do this to me?” I shook my head, tears dripping down my face. “I loved you!” I screamed, hitting Jake in the chest. “How dare you?”

Jake held my hands, a sneer on his face. “I have needs, Monica. I can not be with a virgin forever!”

He shoved me away so hard I fell.

“You said we'd wait until we get married. You said you loved me!”

“I tolerated you,” Jake said, raising a hand to hit me but Emily touched his arm to stop him. “Who’d seriously want an ugly orphan like you?”

My heart tore in two. Jake was my first love and boyfriend - the one I’d loved all my life. He said he didn’t care if I was an orphan, he said he loved me anyways.

Emily touched my chin and smirked. “Don’t look so sad, Monica. There’s someone who wants you.”

“What do you mean?”

“He paid a lot for you,” Emily smiled. “We told him we were your guardians and gave us a shit load of money.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, looking between the two of them.

“You have a use after all,” Emily waved her hand down my body. “Though I'm shocked anyone even wants you.”

I was confused. Jake lifted me on my feet, dragged me to the bedroom we shared and forced me on a chair. I tried to stand up but Emily held me down as Jake tied my hands and feet with a strong rope.

When they were done, they stood in front of me, pointing a phone at me.

“Smile,” Emily said, “You need to look pretty.”

“Add filter,” Jake mocked. “It’s impossible to make a toad a swan.”

“What are you doing? Let me go!”

They ignored me as they took photos of me, laughing and throwing insults at me. I don't recognize them anymore.

“Let me go,” I begged, pulling at the binds. “Please, let me go.”

“Stay still and stop struggling!” Jake ordered and smacked me across the face.

“Jake. Remember our client said the goods must be intact.”

Jake eyed me as if I was dirty before walking out the door. Emily turned her back to leave but I stopped her.

“Why did you do this?” I demanded, wanting to know. She was my best friend of eight years. When I was made to leave the orphanage home two years ago, she was there for me, and supported me.

“What did I do?”

Emily glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. “Must I have a reason?” and left.

I stayed like that until morning came. Emily wiped me down with a towel and told me my buyer would be here. Some time later, strange men entered the house and carried me over their shoulder. No matter how many times I struggled or screamed, no one saved me.

The last thing I saw was Jake and Emily giving each other high-fives with huge grins on their faces. In the car, I was blindfolded. When the car stopped, I was carried again and when the blindfold was taken off, I didn’t know where I was.

I was in a spacious and luxurious sitting room I’d never be able to afford. Behind me were the strange men blocking the door.

Mere minutes later, a tall, muscular man walked down the spiral stairs towards me.

He had a confident, intimidating aura. When he looked at me with cold, blue eyes, my heart beat faster in fear. He was dressed impeccably in a blue suit, his dark hair parted severely.

He took one look at me and scowled. “This is what I paid for? You looked curvier in the photos but you’re just stick and bones.”

He side-stepped me and sat regally on a wine chair with gold accents. He snapped his fingers and a man hurried to him with an envelope.

“You,” he called me, “Sit.”

I shuffled to him but there was no chair around. I stared at him in confusion and his eyes hardened.

“On the floor. Did I pay for an idiot?”

I lowered myself to the floor and folded my hands in my laps. I had to bid my time and not make him angry if I hoped to convince him to let me go.

“Your name is Monica and as of today, I own you. You’re to do exactly as I say, to speak only when spoken to and only with a ‘Yes, Master’ or a ‘No, Master,’” He said flatly and fling a paper at me. “Sign it.”

The man beside him gave me a pen and pointed at the place to sign. I scanned the document and it was an ownership binding agreement. Signing this meant I gave away my autonomy for this Master to do as he pleased.

I shook my head, my lips trembling. “I can’t... I can’t do this. I—”

“I paid a lot for you, Monica. Don’t disappoint me.”

Dropping the pen on the floor, I crawled to him and started frantically rubbing my palms together.

“Please, don’t do this. I’ll pay you back or get your money back. I can't be here.”

My so-called Master looked down at me with no emotion in his eyes. He was quiet for a long time as I cried and pleaded with him. He crossed his legs and dipped his hands in his pockets.

“Forget what I said. Instead of No, Master, you beg.”

His blue eyes twinkled with amusement and I stopped crying. I knew it was over. “I... I won’t do this,” I said, and struggled to my feet. But cowered when he glared at me. “You can’t just buy me.”

“I already did,” his voice went low, dangerous. I felt it in my gut like the sharpness of a knife.

I took a step back, vigorously shaking my head.

“Take her to the room and lock her up!”

My so-called Master commanded and I was immediately grabbed.

“You need to be punished, pet.”

“Let me go!” I shouted, struggling against the men but it was no use. They were stronger and bigger than me. “Let me go!”

They dragged me all the way upstairs, threw me in a room and locked the doors. No matter how hard or how loud I banged the door, no one came to my rescue.

After several days of no food and water, it felt as if I was about to die. I was exhausted, thirsty and starving, praying for anyone to give me even a drop of water.

I was on the floor curled in on myself when the door opened. I couldn’t lift up my head but I saw polished Oxford shoes and striped blue pants until the figure sat on his hunkers and the man’s face came into view.

This close, his blue eyes looked empty, a scowl on his face. Even in my state, I noticed his high cheekbone and sharp jaw - he was handsome like the devil.

“You aren’t dead,” he says dryly as if talking about the weather.

“Wa.. Water,” I mumbled, my throat parched.

He shoved a flask of water in my face and I leaped up to take it but he withdrew it out of reach.

I stretched my hand, watching as he stood up and took a step back. Eyes on me, he poured the water on the floor, laughing wickedly as I crawled towards it and scooped the water to my lips.

I sighed in relief when the water hit my throat but gasped in horror when he stepped in the puddle.

Tears in my eyes, I looked up at him. “Please, one more drop.”

He shoved a paper and pen to my chest that I quickly grabbed. “Sign.”

With shaking fingers, I did as I was told, tears blurring the words. He took them from me and turned the flask upside down.

I shuffled closer, my mouth opened wide, swallowing as I drank. When it was finished, he threw the flask at me and left.

Minutes after he left, a team of maids entered, grabbed me and took me to the bathroom. They scrubbed my body so hard, my skin became red, brushed my hair and put in different products that smelled so good I could eat.

I was waxed, nails trimmed and painted, feet scrubbed until it became as soft as my hair. They put me in a pink silk dress that felt like feathers on my skin.

Once they were done, they served me a tray of food and left, locking the door behind them. I ate ravenously, finishing the food almost immediately.

Some time later, they came in, took the plates away and soon after, the man who had been beside my Master that other day came to get me.

He introduced himself as Oliver, Mr. Chamberlain’s secretary. Oliver led me downstairs out the front door into a sleek range rover.

My heart picked up like a rabbit in a cage when I noticed Mr. Chamberlain in the car with me, his eyes accessing me.

“You clean up nice,” he said, and I didn’t know if that was an insult or not. “Now, you’re accompanying me to a party. You’d be there as my arm candy, nothing more. You’re to shut up and look pretty. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” I licked my lips, “Master.”

“Come here.”

I shuffled to him and stiffened when his head dropped close to my face. Sweat dripped down my spine at the close proximity and my throat closed up.

It was when he moved did I notice the collar he had around my neck. It was smooth leather but there was no mirror to check whether it looked good.

“That has my initials on it inside. Take it off only when I say so, understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good girl.”

Despite myself, my toes tingled at the praise but I kept my mouth shut. The drive to the party was met with silence, my Master a heavy presence beside me. When the car pulled to a stop, Oliver didn’t get out but waited for the valet to open the door.

My Master got out first, buttoned his suit jacket hat was dark blue and tailor made and stretched his arm to me. I took it and we made our way inside the sleek, grand hotel.

Inside of the hotel was golden with beautiful and powerful looking people milling around.

Waiters slipped around people carrying trays of wine and tiny sized food. My Master swiped two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and passed me one.

He turned his head to whisper in my ear. “Get drunk and you’d regret it.”

“I won’t, Master.”

He said nothing. His blue eyes scanned the people, silently accessing before walking towards a group of people. Chorus of “Mr. Chamberlain,” rang in the air, the men shakes his hand and the women presses kisses on his cheek.

The conversation was perfunctory and business, topics moving almost too fast for me to keep up. He said his goodbyes and before we even took one more step, a different set of people swarmed in, vying for his attention.

It got so bad that I was pushed off him but he hardly noticed. No one did.

I hung back thinking he’d need me but when it was clear he didn’t, I turned around and left, aimlessly walking.

It was when I found myself on the balcony away from the party did it struck me that I could leave. Right now. I could slip out of this party and run away. But where would I go? My house was rented, I had no savings and no family.

I have lived in an orphanage home my entire life and my only friends were Jake and Emma. The same people that sold me. And even if I did leave, it was only a matter of time before I was caught.

I hated to think what would happen to me when I was caught.

“Who left a beauty like you unattended?” A voice said from behind me and I turned around, face-to-face with a stranger.

He wore a black suit, short brown hair cropped to the side. He was holding a glass of champagne and when he smiled sloppily.

“What’s your name, beautiful?”

I smiled politely at him and made to sidestep him but he blocked my path. “Hey, now. Let’s talk. My name’s Teddy. What’s yours?”

“Monica,” I said, hoping that’d be the end of it but he closed the distance and stared down at me.

“Monica,” Teddy licked his lips. “Are you here alone?”

“I—” I stopped, remembering my Master’s order. “I have to go.”

He grabbed my arm, pressing me tightly to the balcony. “Why the rush? We can have a little fun, can’t we?”

He licked his lips again, eyeing my cleevage. He slid his hand on my wrist, guiding it to his crotch. I wrangled my hand free and shoved him off but he only laughed and grabbed my arm again, gyrating his erection on my hip.

“Get off me, you jerk,” I struggled, hitting him in the chest with my other hand. “Get off.”

He brought his lips to my ear and licked, grinding faster on me. Tears spring to my eyes, hating how helpless I am. My whole life had imploded and here this idiot was thinking he could use me? I wouldn’t let him.

With all my strength, I jabbed my knee to his balls and he stumbled back, champagne glass crashing on the floor. Teddy held his crotch between his legs, red in the face.

I walked past him but he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me back.

“You’ll pay for that, you bitch,” he cursed and hit me across the face.

I clawed at him, screaming and cursing. My nails scratched him in the face, kicking and hitting him. How dare he? How dare he think he could come to me and take whatever he wanted? Why didn’t he leave me alone when I told him to? Why didn’t he listen?

“Hey, hey,” he snapped, bringing his hands up to protect his face but I was unseeing.

I was angry and hurt and reeling from the betrayal that I didn’t stop myself. I couldn’t. He was cowering before me now and this brought me joy.

I was on the offensive, ready to tear him down. When he straightened, poised to attack, I didn’t let him. With a yell, I shoved him away from me with all my might.

He stumbled and with one final push, he went over the edge, hands outstretched to me, eyes wide as he fell down.

Heart beating fast, I looked over the railing and a choked sound left my lips at the lifeless body on the ground.

I was panicking, pacing the balcony as my heart hammered against my ribs. My hands shook as I bit my nails, sweat beading on my forehead. When I looked over the edge again, he was still there - Teddy, lying motionless with dark blood pooling around him.

I fumbled through my purse but I didn’t have a phone anymore. Frantic, I stumbled back into the party, scanning the crowded room for my Master.

I pushed past people, one of my heels slipping off, but I kept going. Then I spotted him - tall and commanding, his perfect dark blue suit highlighting his broad shoulders as he talked with a group of wealthy guests. I rushed over and grabbed his arm, pulling him away.

He yanked free, his sculpted features twisting into a snarl. “What is the meaning of this?”

His dark eyes swept over me coldly. Even angry, he was striking - high cheekbones casting shadows on his defined jawline, straight nose and full lips set in displeasure.

“Why do you look harried? And where’s your other shoe?”

“Can you... Can you come with me, please?” My voice broke, barely a whisper.

He grabbed my arm, his grip firm as he dragged me away from the crowd. “Yo’re an embarrassment,” he hissed in my ear. “What part of ‘shut up and be pretty’ didn’t you understand?”

I swallowed hard, hating the harsh displeasure in his voice. My heart raced faster and the room spun. What would he do when he found out? Would he report me? He had been displeased ever since he spent so much money on me. Maybe he’d use this to get rid of me.

We reached the balcony and I froze.

“Well, what is it?”

I could only point, my finger trembling. He released my arm and I cradled it against my chest, sweat sliding down my neck. He strode to the balcony edge and looked down.

The words tumbled out of me. “I didn’t mean to do it. He just... He fell over and I... I didn:t mean to do it. Please believe me. I—’

“Enough!” His voice was low but dangerous. I snapped my mouth shut as he stalked toward me.

“What were you doing alone with a man?”

“What?”

“You heard me.” His lips curled in that way that made me want to shrink into nothing. “Did you fuck him?”

“What? I don't—”

He grabbed my neck and slammed me against the wall, forcing my legs apart with his knee. His eyes were dangerous, the darkness in them absolute. He pried my mouth open, shoving a finger inside.

“I leave you alone for one second and you're seeing another man. Did you suck his cock, pet? Let him fuck you from behind?”

I shook my head frantically, confused. I couldn’t speak with his finger pressing down on my tongue.

“What did he do to you?”

He slid his finger out but kept his hand on my neck, firm but not choking. I kept shaking my head.

“Nothing. He came and... and touched me.”

“How?” He pressed closer.

“Just my arm. I didn’t... He wanted... I didn’t give it to him, please.”

“Then why were you here with him?”

“I wasn’t. I came here alone and he approached me. You have to believe me.”

His eyes narrowed to slits.

“I’m a virgin. I’ve never been with a man before.”

“Never?” He asked surprised . “You had a boyfriend.”

The mention of Jake pierced my heart, reminding me of what I’d done.

“We... We were waiting for marriage.”

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze searching, before releasing me. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“What?” My heart pounded.

He walked back to the balcony and looked down at the body again. “You did the right thing, pet. He shouldn’t covet what’s mine.”

He returned to me and flicked the choker bearing his initials - E.C. A constant reminder of ownership.

“I…” I whispered. “What should we do?”

He sighed as if I was particularly dim. “What else? We bury the evidence.” He stepped away, pulled out his phone, and made a call.

His voice was controlled and commanding. I felt myself calming - he’d fix this.

“Thank you,” I said. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Of course you didn’t. What can you do?”

He ended the call and approached me again, tipping my chin up with one finger.

“You look guilty. Fix your face. Find your shoe and stand up straight. By the time you come to meet me, you must be composed, do you hear?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Go.”

I shuffled past him, feeling his eyes on me as I left. After finding my shoe, I ducked into the bathroom to clean up. When I looked in the mirror, I saw Teddy’s face staring back. I jumped back with a yelp, startling some women who just entered. I forced a plastic smile and hurried out.

In the hall, I spotted my Master holding court with a group of men in expensive tailored suits. Following his orders, I straightened my spine and pasted on a sweet smile as I approached.

I slipped my arm through his, but he didn’t acknowledge me. Their conversation about business ventures and acquisitions bored me, and I couldn’t help darting glances around the room, looking for any sign that things had been handled.

“Stop looking guilty,” my Master whispered in my ear. “You don’t listen very well, do you?”

“Sorry, sorry. I just—”

“Shut up and be pretty,” he cut me off before returning to his conversation.

Later, a commotion rippled through the party. Security guards in black and white rushed through the crowd, faces grim. My heart clenched, but I stayed glued to my Master’s side.

A woman in diamonds approached us. “Can you imagine? The hotel security team found Mr. Gideon dead.”

She addressed only my Master, as if I was invisible. That’s how it had been all night, except for when Teddy noticed me. And now he was dead.

“Are you sure? He was just here, wasn’t he?” My Master’s face revealed nothing.

A short man joined us. “Actually, I haven’t seen him in a while. I didn’t think anything of it.”

“To think Teddy is dead, just like that,” the woman said, pursing her lips. “You never know, do you?”

“Yes,” my Master’s voice was dry. “You never know.”

I struggled to keep my expression neutral as the party guests dissected Teddy’s death.

“Who’ll inherit the business now?” someone mused.

“It shouldn’t be any of his airhead siblings. Teddy might’ve had his vices but he wasn’t a terrible businessman.”

“The real terrible one is Mr. Chamberlain here,” a man laughed, and everyone joined in.

The conversation shifted from Teddy to his business empire. His body wasn’t even cold and they were already carving up his wealth. My stomach turned.

When the police arrived, my heart nearly stopped.

“Give nothing away, you hear me?” my Master ordered. I nodded quickly.

The detectives gathered everyone in a separate room. Detective Cornell, a man in his thirties with sandy brown hair, started questioning people.

“What’s your name?” he asked my Master.

“Mr. Chamberlain.”

“And you are?” He turned to me.

My Master answered before I could. “My escort for the night. A plus one.”

Detective Cornell checked his list. “She’s not on the guest list.”

“Plus ones rarely are. She’s irrelevant.”

The detective’s eyes raked over me. “I’ll decide if she’s irrelevant or not. Miss, where were you between 9 and 10 PM?”

“With my Mas- with Mr. Chamberlain.”

“The whole time?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know Teddy Gideon?”

“No, sir.”

“Never met him before?”

“No, sir”

“Never spoke to him?”

“No, sir.”

Detective Cornell studied me for a long moment before dismissing us.

In the car, my Master crossed his arms. “Don’t disturb me. I’m tired.” He closed his eyes while I sat rigid with anxiety.

When Oliver pulled into a gas station, police sirens wailed past and my heart nearly stopped. I chewed my nails, staring out the window.

My Master was asleep. Oliver was occupied. If I was going to escape, it had to be then. I could hide, then leave the state tomorrow. Maybe even the country. I didn’t have access to my money, but I’d figure something out. Europe, maybe. Anywhere but here.

I slipped off my shoes and eased out of the car. Crouching low, I circled around and sprinted from the gas station. My feet pounded against the pavement as I ran, constantly looking over my shoulder. When I reached the road, I waved desperately at passing cars.

A white car drove past, then slowed and reversed. Relief flooded through me until the back door opened.

My Master stepped out, his movements fluid and predatory. His handsome face was calm but his eyes burned with fury. My blood turned to ice as he spoke:

“Hello, pet.”